Much was made of Urban Meyer’s initial bull-in-a-China-shop entrance into the Big Ten, particularly the way he made it clear that he didn’t think much of whatever sort of “unspoken” code existed among Big Ten coaches regarding high school recruits who had made verbal commitments to Big Ten schools.

Meyer practically scoffed at the notion that a high school recruit wasn’t to be approached if he had made a verbal commitment.

To Meyer’s credit, he never climbed any trees to build forts with high school recruits; he never showed up at a 16-year old’s house with a sleeping bag and slept over in the kid’s room with the kid’s 11-year old brother in the bottom bunk; and he never ran around a kid’s backyard with his shirt off to somehow demonstrate that he was cool and fun and one of the guys.

Mathis is a potential star – his frame (the young man is 6’5″ and weighs 195 pounds with loads of room to put on the beef) and his athleticism make people think of Terrelle Pryor.

Mathis had said he was “100% committed to Michigan State.”

Now he is not committed to Michigan State – and that’s fine.

And now he’ll make people think even more of Terrelle Pryor.

I fully realize I’m the weird one here – but I try not to get too caught up in the endless recruiting wars, developments, and flips because I remember when Ryan Van Dyke was going to save the Spartan football program.

I remember when Boo Boo Thompson was going to alter the earth’s axis with his strength and fury.

And I remember when Marcus Waters was going to become the next Gene Washington and Plaxico Burress wrapped up in one player.

Lots of things happen from the time a high school recruit officially commits to a program.

Some high school football players realize, when they arrive in East Lansing, that there are a lot of lovely female students who attend Michigan State.

Some high school football players realize, when they arrive in Columbus, that there are lots of great pawn shops and tattoo parlors around town.

In each college town, there are plenty of distractions that present challenges for coaches in their efforts to help each and every recruit reach his full potential.

I’m going to choose to not crawl into a black hole over this meaningful development – but, I’m also going to recognize that this is yet another example of how Urban Meyer isn’t playing checkers or backgammon when it comes to recruiting and doing all he can to win championships.

Here’s the thing, though –

If there is one coach in all of college football who seems to thrive on slights and chicanery and sneaky misdeeds (perceived or real), it’s Mark Dantonio.

And, for the short term, I’d add four-to-six points to Michigan State’s final point total in the game against Ohio State on November 10th simply because of this development.

“I would like to thank msu for the many opportunities they have given me to play at their University,” Mathis tweeted. “The decision weighed heavy on my heart. I would like to announce that I am officially a Buckeye!”

The 6-foot-5, 195-pound Mathis is a four-star prospect, according to the 247Sports Composite, and No. 6-ranked player in Michigan. He is the ninth-ranked pro-style quarterback in the country, and No. 251 player overall, according to the composite.